My case of Menu C's arrived this week. I've really enjoyed the fast service from MREDepot, three orders so far and no complaints.

I think that Menu C must be going through a change/rotation of entrees and other items. The bag I grabbed to review today is listed as Menu #5. On the MRE Info page and the MREDepot page for Menu C, both list Menu #5 as being Meatloaf with Gravy. This Menu #5 is Chicken with Pasta in Pesto Sauce.

The list of MRE contents below is what should be there according the MRE Depots website, the bold items are direct matches, missing or substituted items listed on the right:

The bread is packed with an oxygen absorber, so be sure to eat that too. The bread is firm enough to hold with one hand and still soft enough to chew. The cheese spread is awesome if you grew up loving Cheese Whiz, and I did!

Nacho Cheese Pretzels

Hopefully you'll have lots of water on hand, this snack is a thirst provoker. These hollowed out pretzel tubes are filled with a cheese-like filling that is of the compressed powder variety. They taste just like an off-the-shelf product I've had before. Salty, about 35% of your daily recommended amount of sodium, but a tasty snack item.

Chicken Pasta with Pesto Sauce entree

The entree box says that it is distributed by Ameriqual Foods (the group that makes the aPack MREs).

First of all the FRH is quite the heater. Seems much hotter than the one used in Sopakco's MREs. The pasta is very doughy and the pesto sauce is pleasantly strong. There are bits of sun dried tomatoes and other spices visible. The chicken reminds me of pulled pork in texture with some chunk meat, similar to buying canned chicken at the store. While the pesto sauce stands out, there is a slight blandness, however it is a filling entree and would be a welcome meal on a backpacking trip or in time of need.

Oatmeal cookie

Got milk? A very dry cookie, a Mrs. Fields clone.

Wrapping it up:
I was under the impression that Menu C was supposed to be the biggest calorie MRE in the civilian variety. I found this MRE lacking the volume of food that the Sopakco had. However the accessory packet including several sheets of toilet paper as well as matches makes this a more complete offering. Maybe if the raisins, fig bar and the caramel apple bar were included as MRE Depots website states, it would rate a little higher. I had high expectations for the Menu C based on what I had read on MREinfo but I have to say that I would rate it lower than the Sopakco MRE I reviewed last week. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2527

Last edited by tthompso on Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:30 am, edited 3 times in total.

Nice review, tthompso! It looks like you got some of those Menu Cs that had product substitution issues during manufacturer. I'm wondering when they're going to fix this problem because I haven't heard anyone lately say they got a case where the contents matched the menus.

I remember seeing a post in the forums about a similar issue, and it looked like Steve Cyros over at MRE Depot was looking into it. I don't have a problem with substitutions, especially when the website says that it might occur. In my books that's buyer beware, my dislike is when elements are completely missing. I will be cracking open the other MREs in my case to see if it is a single occurrence within the case or if it is consistently missing items the manufacturer says ought to be there.

Thanks for the review, thats the one menu I haven't tried that I'm really looking forward to, although I'm a little disappointed to hear that its a bit bland. Whatcha gonna do, I'm still just waiting for someone to sell a single on ebay that's not $10 for a freaking single.. i need to check the milsurp place right around the corner, they sell single MREs but they're like $7-8 so I don't normally bother.. hmm.